Review: The SAINT Edge Pistol Is No Joke

By Clay Martin

So a carbine, an SBR, and a sub gun walk into a bar … I don’t actually have a punch line for the above classic setup. But it is the feeling I get when I pick up the all-new Springfield SAINT Edge pistol. It is like the aforementioned fell into a blender, and the object that came out the other side had all the best attributes of each.

Historically Not a Fan

Now, I haven’t been the biggest fan of AR-style pistols as far as actual use goes. I applaud the genius that created the first one, if for no other reason than the poke in the chest it gave unreasonable government regulations. Like a diesel moped, I love any invention that punches America’s bureaucrats right in the teeth, regardless of function.

A big reason for my as-to-date lack of excitement about AR pistols has been that they feel like toys. Starting with the old tennis ball on the buffer tube, up through the wobbly rubber arm braces that required a zip tie Gordian knot to hold them in place, they have been at best amusements.

The Springfield Armory SAINT Edge pistol, however, has hewn my apathy exactly like the sword of Alexander. Call me one of the converted.

A Great Weapon

When you pick up the Edge, it feels like a weapon, not a prize from a box of Cracker Jacks. And it’s cool. 

It retains all the things we loved about the SAINT Edge rifle. The receiver has the same distinctive lightening cuts and mag well profile. As a bonus, it has the same excellent trigger as its rifle brother, a rarity for pistols. Crisp, light, and ready for action, the Edge trigger alone has turned the industry on its ear.

The forend is extremely similar to the Edge Rifle, with a few extra tricks up its sleeve. There is no rail on top of the pistol forend, sans a one-inch section at the muzzle end. This cuts some minor weight of unnecessary rail. And it was a good place to cut railing off. With a pistol, most of us will never run anything except an iron front sight, or maybe a flashlight / laser in that position anyway.

On the bottom of the forend is a feature I feel is necessary with a very short barrel — Installed from the factory is a real safety stop, made of aluminum, and bolted right at the very end of the forend. You can remove it if you like, but I don’t recommend it.

Muzzled Down

The one feature really different from the Edge carbine is the muzzle device. The pistol version features a standard M16A2 birdcage, as opposed to the high-performance muzzle brake standard on the carbine. I feel this was done with good reason. The SAINT Edge rifle muzzle brake would be beyond obnoxious on the pistol’s 10.3-inch barrel for starters. I would also speculate a large percentage of buyers of this pistol are going to run it with a suppressor full time. Rather than cobble together a solution that might please 10% of the customers, Springfield Armory just compromised to the cheapest viable solution. Every suppressor brand has its own QD muzzle device, and some of us roll direct thread anyway. Out of the box, the birdcage works fine, and I’m not looking to replace mine anytime soon. For more information on this topic, check out our article on the differences between muzzle brakes, compensators and flash hiders.

Brace For It

The real heart of the pistol is the forearm brace, and in this regard, the Edge Pistol comes up aces across the board. Springfield Armory chose to utilize the Maxim Defense CQB Brace. The Maxim brace is not a cheap option, but it is by far the best on the market today. Looking at it, and the total price of the SAINT Edge pistol, all I can think is that Springfield got a hell of a price break for buying in bulk.

The brace alone is reason enough to choose this as your pistol.

Compact Passenger

The Maxim offers an almost unbelievably small package. It is near magic they made this pistol run with such a small buffer tube, but they did. Pressing a single button on the brace, with a slight pull of the fingers, slams the brace fully open. Ready to rock and roll. Ready to have some fun.

Specifications

Here are the specs on the Springfield SAINT Edge pistol reviewed in this article:

Chambering	5.56 NATO (.223 Rem)
Barrel Length	10.3″
Barrel Type	LW profile, CMV with Melonite finish
Overall Length	24.6″ – 28.5″
Weight	5 lbs, 11 oz (unloaded)
Magazine Capacity	30 (1 Magpul PMag GEN3 included)
Pistol Brace	Maxim Defense CQB
Gas System	Carbine length with low profile adjustable block
MSRP	$1,559

Final Thoughts

The new SAINT Edge pistol is a high-performance weapon, and after this review, it is one that I recommend highly. It has all the benefits of an SBR, with the paperwork of a pistol.

Springfield Armory has batted one out the park with this model. I suggest you get yours while the getting is good!

Due to an ATF ruling regarding the configuration of pistols with stabilizing braces, these firearms can be subject to NFA (National Firearms Act) regulations as short-barreled firearms. It is the buyer’s responsibility to comply with all rules, restrictions and/or laws determined by your city or state. Please ensure you are up-to-date on all current laws.

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